Author: gleanernewspaper

Dutch Justice Minister, David van Weel Sierra Leone’s government has accused the Netherlands and its Justice and Security Minister, David Van Weel, of running a media campaign to tarnish the West African country’s reputation in a high-profile extradition dispute. In a recent interview, Chief Minister Dr David Sengeh condemned Van Weel, calling him a “bad politician” and claiming he is promoting a “neo-colonial ideology” to paint Sierra Leone in a negative light to international partners. The row is about Sierra Leone’s alleged refusal to hand over a Dutch national, Joseph “Jos” Leijdekkers, wanted in the Netherlands for large-scale drug trafficking. Van Weel…

Western Area rural District Council By Chernor Juldeh Bah-IEC Officer, WARDC Local government strength is measured by its ability to serve communities. Behind every council service are workers whose commitment keeps public administration moving, often under difficult conditions. Their contribution deserves recognition through salaries and service conditions that reflect the responsibilities they carry. This is a respectful appeal to the Government of Sierra Leone, particularly the Ministry of Finance through its Fiscal Decentralisation Division (FDD), to give greater attention to the remuneration and welfare of local council staff. Sierra Leone restored elected local councils in 2004 after abolishing the system in 1972. This was an important step…

During Bilateral Budget Discussions at the Miatta Civic Centre in Freetown, the Ministry of Planning and Economic Development (MoPED) proposed a budget of NLe40,734.828 million for the 2027 fiscal year, well above the budget ceiling of NLe17,637.500 million. The Acting Development Secretary, Usman Conteh, presented the Ministry’s mandate and priorities and the rationale for its resource requirements.“The budget process is key to improving accountability, development coordination and ensuring that national resources are allocated to improve public service delivery,” said Conteh. He outlined several priority deliverables for FY2027, including establishing and operationalising a Public Investment Management Information System (PIMIS) for use…

The Commissioner General of the National Revenue Authority (NRA), Mr Abu Martin Kanneh, began a focused internal familiarisation tour of the Customs Services Department at the Customs House in Cline Town, Freetown. The visit is part of wider initiatives by NRA senior management to engage with frontline staff, build team spirit, and foster collaboration to further the Authority’s mandate of revenue mobilisation.Commissioner General Kanneh told Customs personnel that he started his career in Customs as a collector and worked his way up to Commissioner of Customs before assuming the post of Commissioner General. His broad knowledge of institutions, he said,…

Deputy High Commissioner Mrs Yvonne King Odigboh showed her support for Sierra Leonean Entrepreneurs and Community Leaders in London as the Distinguished Grand Chief Patron of the Sierra Leone Sellers Union UK Annual Luncheon Fête. The Jessie Duffett Tenant Hall on Wyndham Road hosted vendors, small business owners, families and community members for a day-long celebration of commerce, culture and diaspora solidarity under the theme “Uniting Vendors • Fostering Community • Empowering Trade.”The meeting highlighted the Sierra Leonean diaspora’s important role in promoting entrepreneurship, creating livelihoods and strengthening transnational ties. Luncheon fête stallholders showcased a broad spectrum of goods and…

A high-level roundtable was held on 29th September 2026 between senior ministers from Sierra Leone and professors and researchers from Harvard University to discuss possible collaboration in several priority areas. Ms Zoe Marks, Oppenheimer Faculty Director of the Centre for African Studies at Harvard, convened a meeting with Sierra Leone’s cabinet members to discuss national development needs and solicit specific research, capacity-building, and policy partnerships. Hon. Dr David Moinina Sengeh, Chief Minister of Sierra Leone, called for collaboration to fast-track progress in public health, climate change, digital education, energy and investment, artificial intelligence, technology development, and public-private partnerships. “Harvard’s research…

The Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Sierra Leone, Hon. Mohamed Rahman Swarray, appealed to Sierra Leoneans in the United States to collaborate with the government in tackling several emerging national challenges during a Town Hall meeting on 1st October 2026, organised jointly by the Embassy of Sierra Leone in Washington, DC and Berny’s Hope Foundation-USA. Hon. Swarray appreciated the diaspora’s contributions and called for a united, nonpartisan approach to issues that transcend regions and ethnicities at the White Oak Community Centre in Maryland.The minister’s comments centred on the ongoing US visa ban, which he described as a…

The Chief Minister, Dr David Moinina Sengeh, visited the National Investment Board (NIB) today to review the progress of the almost complete One-Stop Digital Business Service Platform. The platform is meant to make business registration and related government services faster, more efficient and more accessible to investors and entrepreneurs. The visit to the NIB offices on Jomo Kenyatta Road follows the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in November 2022 between the Directorate of Science, Technology and Innovation (DSTI) and the then Ministry of Trade and Industry to digitise business service delivery. At the time of signing the MoU,…

President Julius Maada Bio President Julius Maada Bio has publicly stated that he will leave office when his second and final term ends in 2028, to quell speculation about a prolonged stay in office. Bio reaffirmed his commitment to constitutional limits and a peaceful transfer of political authority in a speech on Africa’s Changing Geopolitical Landscape at Harvard Kennedy School on Tuesday, September 29. “In 2028, God willing, I will hand over power again as a democrat,” he said, underlining his determination to respect the electoral calendar and institutional procedures. The comments come amid speculation and concern over whether the…

Sierra Leone’s passport ranks 139th in the 2026 Passport Reports and lets its citizens enter 66 countries without first obtaining a visa. This amounts to 33.3% global coverage, with 66 destinations reachable and 132 requiring a visa in advance. The dataset reveals significant regional disparities in the destinations Sierra Leoneans can visit without a visa. Caribbean access rules the regional scene Based on the 2026 data, Sierra Leonean passport holders have the most access to the Caribbean region, with 75.0% of the destinations listed there. Sierra Leone citizens can visit 10 Caribbean countries without a visa, 1 country with easier…